All is Calm

 I've never thought of myself as a "conformist",

 but this year - possibly more than any other - I  am not conforming!  

As I commented on another person's post about keeping Christmas simple:  "Learning not to take my "Christmas cues" from blogland or what others are doing - not comparing/competing.....Refusing to try to do it all. Resting in the Lord; letting Him set the pace..."

Decorations in our home this year are minimal; activities basically confined to

"Christmas versions" of regular events such as our no-longer-Red-Hats monthly meeting,

a carry-in brunch at church during Sunday School hour,

decorating the church this morning with our Ladies' Bible Study group that always meets on Fridays,

a dinner last night at the facility where my mother is a resident,

a holiday housewalk tomorrow (if it's not too cold),

and lunches with friends in front of the fireplace at Cracker Barrel peppered throughout the month.

There are just TOO many ideas out there;

too many events; too much noise for THIS woman to handle 

in addition to what's already on my plate.

I will cherish quiet, candlelit evenings 

with Christmas music playing in the background, 

thank you!

Maybe in 2014

 A walk in a nearby nature preserve on a sunny afternoon

towards the end of 2013

 represents my mood in the earliest hours of 2014...

calm, reflective, energized and appreciative of God's blessings.

 I'm thankful for evidences of personal progress in faith 

(some almost imperceptible, but undeniable),

for mysteries that remain,

and for confidence in the goodness of God in spite of those mysteries.

I've struggled to formulate resolutions

and would have happily settled for "my" word for 2014.

So far, nothing.

Maybe still in this first day, clarity will emerge. 

Maybe.

What Can You Do with People Like That?

• It was doubtful whether he would have been happy anywhere for he had a discontented nature.
• Discontented people are never popular with their neighbours and Mr. Arnold Dering was no exception to the rule.  He was unpopular with his own sort of people, who thought him disagreeable and conceited, and even more unpopular with the villagers.
• He did not enjoy life, nor did he add to the enjoyment of life, so nobody in Ashbridge was particularly sorry when he died.
• Leda was like Arnold who had asked and asked for sympathy but had never accepted it.  What could you do with people like that?

As far as I remember, I've not read any of this author's books before, but I'll be requesting the next two books in this trilogy from our inter-library system.  I enjoyed the simplicity of this book set in a small village in England by a Scottish-born writer.  It was a refreshing read with an insightful view of human nature.

The quotes above described the character of the deceased husband of Caroline, the main character.  After reading them, I was inspired to examine my own character for any seeds, roots, or sprouts of discontent.

It's SO true! 

"Discontented people are NEVER popular with their neighbours."  

What CAN you do with people like that?

Your way of life should be free from the love of money, 

and you should be content with what you have. After all, he has said,

 I will never leave you or abandon you.  (Hebrews 13:5)

I Go to the Rock

Where do I go when there's nobody to turn to?

Who do I talk to when no one wants to listen?
Who do I lean on when there's no foundation stable?

I go to the Rock--

I know he is able--I go to the Rock.

stuff

This morning I thought I needed to "go" somewhere.

My heart was calling me to a little "retail therapy."

(Well, not retail exactly--but thrift store therapy anyway...)

Then I remembered I still had this stuff in the back seat of my car

from a trip to My Favorite Thrift Store over a week ago!

Obviously, the thrift store is not the place to turn to

when the heart is restless.

Then I remembered this song!

I'm going to The Rock instead.

more stuff

Where do I go when the storms of life are threatening?

Who do I turn to when those winds of sorrow blow?
And is there a refuge in the time of tribulation?

I go to to the Rock--

I know he is able--I go to the Rock.

Chorus
I go to The Rock for my salvation
I go to the Stone that the builders rejected
I run to the Mountain and the Mountain stands by me
When the earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ, the solid Rock I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend
I go to The Rock.
(Dottie Rambo wrote this WONDERFUL song!)

 "Turn my eyes from worthless things,and give me life through your Word" Psalm 119:37 NLT

Complacency , Contentment, and Candles

"When all candles be out, all cats be grey."  (John Heywood)

My "cats" have been kind of grey lately.  I won't go into a lengthy explanation...just sayin' I've been in a slump physically, mentally, and (sadly) spiritually.  Even my enthusiasm for blogging has dimmed somewhat.  Where once I had to hold myself back from posting more than once a day, lately I've been struggling to find a topic worth sharing.  This morning I realized that I have slowly moved from a state of contentment to a state of complacency.

"It is better to light a candle than curse the  darkness." (Eleanor Roosevelt)

I decided to do just that!  You'll notice I didn't take time to DUST the candles or their neighbors, but the activity made me face the fact that I have WAY too many candles AND that I don't light them often enough!

Many of my candles are stored on shelves in the wardrobe that stands in our living room...There are more than I'll ever use in the rest of my lifetime! 

Others are stored in drawers of a set of cheese boxes.  (We think this contraption once belonged to a cheese salesman, but we're not sure.)  I tend to sort these tapers a bit better than those on the shelves of the wardrobe.

This verse from the Bible caught my attention this morning:   

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles; and I will punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.   (Zephaniah 1:12)

It startled me.  I faced that fact that complacency has settled in on me much  like the dust in my house has settled on candles, holders, pottery, and furniture.  

God HAS been searching MY "Jerusalem",  and it would be dangerous for me not to respond. 
I won't be content until the complacency is gone.

As I've read other blogs over the weekend, two words have stood out:  "expectancy" and "intentionality".  The two of them are going to be my reminders to "light my candles" this week.   I've intentionally made a short list of tasks to accomplish this morning, and I'm expecting God to accomplish HIS good pleasure in me - body, soul, and spirit. Somewhere I read, "When you do stuff, stuff happens."  DUH!  So after I blow out a few candles, I'm on my way to do my grocery shopping before the roads get too challenging to be out.  (Yes, it's snowing again.)

"Then ye be glad, good people, this night of all the year, 

and light ye up your candles: his star is shining near."

A Few, Good Blogs--Continued

While out looking for a "few, good blogs" yesterday, I came across Melissa's post, "Living An Authentic Life:  My Journey".  This post said it ALL and said it WELL! I didn't find pictures "to reference and inspire" me. I found words to reinforce what I already know deep down in my heart.  I have been given a life and don't have to look at others to get my "clues"!

The Bible verse from which my blog is named tells me that God has given me EVERYTHING I need for life...AND godliness.  A look around my house tells me I have been given MUCH.  My "satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment" (Melissa's words) are not out there in someone's blog, but right here where I live and move and have my being (Acts 17:28). 

By my loose definition, authentic living is living a life that works for you, instead of struggling against the one you have been given. It is finding satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment in the present. It is living on purpose and with purpose. And, perhaps more importantly, it is a life where we are useful to people around us because we are able to give of ourselves in the way we want to. (Melissa)

Now, in all honesty, I AM still looking for  "a few, good blogs".  Surely there are a few casual English/French (or whatEVER it is that I like)  interiors out there in blogland!

I HAVE ENOUGH

"two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys..." (Genesis 32:14-15). 

This was the gift Jacob selected to give to his twin, Esau, after years of separation.  Rivalry and bitterness had separated them at least 14 years before.  But apparently, time and experience had mellowed the hearts of both men.  Both had received material wealth as part of the blessing of God.  But more significantly, both had matured as Esau demonstrated by his response to the gift Jacob offered him.

""I have enough, my brother, keep what you have for yourself."

Spoken, those words swept away years of hurt, distrust, suspicion, and family discord.  Relationship was restored.  Perspective returned.

Jacob replied, "Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough."(verse 11)

I underlined both of these statements in my Bible as I read them a few days ago.  They were part of my read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year chapters.  But they were so much MORE than that!  I lifted my eyes to my full living room - multiple candles sitting on the coffee table.  Books stacked in the bookshelf, chairs to comfortably seat 9 adults and 2 children, 6 lamps.  And that's just in our living room.  And these are just material blessings!

I have enough!   Really!  God HAS dealt graciously with me.  And because I have enough, I can bring blessing to others.